Background

The 9K35 Strela 10 / SA-13 Gopher was
developed as a replacement for the 9K31 Strela 1 / SA-9 Gaskin, and was
intended to provide a system with better mobility and a longer ranging
and more lethal missile design. Development was initiated in 1969, in
parallel with the 2K22 Tunguska / SA-19 Grison, the intent being to
provide a complementary system with a btter capability in heavily
jammed environments, where the radar directed SPAAG might be at a
disadvantage. Design requirements included the ability to engage
closing targets with speeds of up to 415 m/s and receding targets at
310 m/s, at altitudes between 25 m and 3,500 m, at ranges between 800
and 5,000 m. A single shot Pk between 0.5 and 0.6 for targets with load
factors between 3 and 5G was envisaged. The system was to be relatively
autonomous capable of providing point defence for maneuvre formations.
The system was to be air transportable by An-12 Cub and Mi-6
helicopter, and able to cross bodies of water.

The Nudelman bureau was tasked with missile design and Geofizika tasked
with developing the seeker. IOC was achived in 1976 with Red Army air
defence units.

The baseline 9M37 Strela-10SV variant fitted with a 9E47 Virazh two
colour
infrared/visible band seeker deployed on the 9K35 TELAR from 1976.

Development of the improved 9K37M
Strela-10M
with a 9E47M seeker, deployed on the 9A35M TELAR, started in
1977, with IOC in 1979.

The third missile variant, the further improved 9K37M2
Strela-10M2 deployed on the 9K35M2 TELAR from 1981.

The last Cold War variant was the Strela-10M3 deployed on the 9K35M3
TELAR from 1989, this variant using the 9M333 missile which was
supplied with a 9E425 three channel seeker, the first infrared,
the second
using a visible band television contrast lock design, and the third a
passive homing channel intended to home on the emissions from jamming
equipment. The 9M333 included a new autopilot and IR background
rejection processing, as well as a laser proximity fuse with eight
rather than four lobes for engaging small targets,and a larger and more
lethal warhead. The 9K35M3 included an improved 9Sh127 optical sighting
system
for the gunner with WFOV and NFOV modes.

Two TELARs were developed on the MT-LB tracked chassis, these being the
9A35 TELAR equipped with the 9S16 Flat Box-B radio-frequency passive
detection system, and the 9A34 without it. The Flat Box
antenna suite comprised multiple antennas on the top of the MT-LB hull
and an additional antenna package on the electrically powered TELAR
turret.

Typically one
9A35 was deployed with three 9A34 TELARs. All TELARs carry four ready
rounds and four stowed reloads.

The Gryuza variant employs the 9A34A TELAR which is equipped with an
Azovsky L-136 MAK-F infrared search and track (IRST) system, intended
to cue to gunner to targets. the system is claimed to be capable of
passively acquiring an F-15 class target at 10 to 15 km range day or
night. This system is detailed under 9K35A Gyurza /
SA-13 Gopher SAM System Upgrade.
A typical battery deploys with three 9A34 series TELARS, one 9A35
series TELAR, and a single PPRU-1/1M command
post, although early variants often used the PU-12M series command post.

Nudelman 9K37 Series
Surface to
Air Missile

The
missile's Geofizika 9E47M two
colour
all aspect electro-optical seeker occupies the nose section,
with a optical nose window, likely using a sapphire material. The
seeker is cooled using a liquid nitrogen tank, likely using a
Joule-Thompson refrigerator. Geofizika also designed the 36T seeker for
the R-27T/TE / AA-10 Alamo.

Aft of the
optics and the canard pitch/yaw control actuator modules is the missile
autopilot module and impact fuse. The 9N125 3 kg combined expanding rod
and fragmentation warhead is integrated with a laser proximity fuse,
with two offset rows of windows for emitter and detector elements. Aft
of the warhead and fuse the missile volume is largely occupied with the
dual pulse solid rocket motor. The small cruciform surfaces on the tail
are used for roll stabilisation.

The missiles
are supplied in hermetically sealed launch tubes which double up as
transportation containers.

Launch
of
a 9M37M / SA-13
Gopher SAM (Russian MoD).

9A34M
/ SA-13 Gopher TELAR of the
Czech Army, which acquired the system during the Cold War. The 9S86
Snap Shot rangefinding radar is located between the launchers (Czech
Army).

SA-13
Gopher system of the
Czech Army waiting in ambush for an unsuspecting aircraft (Czech Army).

Production and Exports

This system was primarily exported to
Warsaw Pact nations, India and Cuba. Yugoslavia
rehosted the system on an indigenous tracked chassis.

A number of
upgrades exist for the basic system, and the late model 9K35M3 Kolchan
variant is also available on a wheeled 8 x 8 BTR-60 chassis.

PPRU-1M Battery Mobile Command Post /
Acquisition Radar

P-40/1S12 Long Track Acquisition
Radar

The P-40/1S12 Long Track S-band
acquisition radar is often cited as the mobile acquisition component in
Strela 10 SAM batteries, although its primary purpose was supporting
the SA-4 Ganef system. It uses a modified tank chassis to provide high
cross country mobility. The antenna stows flat on the roof of the
vehicle. Eight stacked beams are used for heightfinding.

LEMZ PRV-16/1RL132 Naklon / Thin Skin
Heightfinding Radar

KBT 9K35M3-K Kolchan / BTR-60/70/80 TELAR

Most production 9K35 / SA-13
Gopher systems were delivered on the Soviet MT-LB amphibious tracked
chassis which forms the basis of the 9A35 and 9A34 TELARs. Yugoslavia
integrated the 9K35 Strela 10SV system on an indigenous tracked chassis
before the Balkans civil war and some of these systems were deployed
during OAF.

More recently the late model 9K35M3 Strela 10M3 / SA-13 Gopher system
has been integrated on a wheeled amphibious chassis under the
designation 9K35M3-K Kolchan by KBT. The demonstrator for this design
was fitted to a legacy BTR-60PBM 8 x 8 personnel carrier and displayed
at
the MAKS 2007 arms show in Moscow. The BTR-60PBM is a refurbished,
relifed and re-engined baseline BTR-60, recognised by the enlarged aft
engine bay.

Modifications to the BTR-60PBM series vehicle include replacement of
the
powered BPU-1 series automatic gun turret with the 9M35M3 TELAR turret
previously designed for the MT-LB chassis, and the addition of side
mounted magazines for four reload rounds.

The choice of the GAZ BTR-60PB series vehicle is almost certainly a
result of the vast existing user base of this family of vehicles, which
was more widely exported than any other Soviet armoured personnel
carrier. The successor 1970s BTR-70 and 1980s BTR-80 were
exported as widely as the BTR-60, the 1990s BTR-90 is operated
only by Russia. The similarity in hull designs across this family of
vehicles would permit adaptation of the demonstrator design to any of
the BTR-60/70/80/90 series hulls. Conversion of existing in service
BTR-60/70/80/90 series vehicles into the 9K35M3-K Kolchan is
significantly cheaper than the manufacture of new MT-LB vehicles, which
are also more expensive to operate than wheeled vehicles of similar
size. Numerous life extension and engine upgrades are available for the
BTR-60/70/80/90 family of vehicles. The BTR-60/70/80/90 are Russian
equivalents to the US LAV-25 and Stryker family of 8 x 8 personnel
carriers.

The 9K35M3-K Kolchan 9A35M3-K and 9A34M3-K TELARs are more capable than
the fielded 1980s
9A35M3 and 9A34M3 TELARs, and this qualifies the system as a new
variant rather than block upgrade. Battery composition emulates the
earlier variants, with one of four TELARs equipped with an RF passive
detection system. KBT have not identified a specific battery
transporter/transloader vehicle to date, other than the existing Ural 6
x 6 9T244/245 transloader series an amphibous option are relifed
BTR-60P/70/80 personnel carrier variants, or the current production
GAZ-59037 8 x 8 flatbed transporter, based on the BTR-80/90 vehicles.

The new digital fire control system includes a new Focal Plane Array
technology uncooled optical acquisition and tracking sensor with a 12º
x 16º FOV, an Okhotnik digital image processing system claimed to
improve detection range by 30% to 70%, and a Trona-1 moving map and
navigation display system.

Soviet
propaganda
image from the 1960s showing the early configuration BTR-60P
with the open crew compartment. These variants remained in Soviet
operational service well into the 1980s. The BTR-60P hull is readily
adapted as a amphibious transloader vehicle (Soviet Ministry of
Propaganda).

PPRU-1M-2
Battery Command Post /
Acquisition Radar

The
most recent variant of the PPRU series is the PPRU-1M-2 which is
digital, and includes the new design solid state VNIIRT 9S80M1-2
replacing the legacy Dog Ear variants (Said Aminov, Vestnik PVO).

Operational
Unit Imagery

In late December, 2010 Michael Jerdev had
the opportunity to visit the 1st Guards Air Defence Regiment, 106th
Airborne Division, Airborne Forces, equipped with the 9K35M3 Strela
10M3 / SA-13 Gopher, and collected an extensive photographic record,
using a Canon EOS350D DSLR. While the lighting conditions were
challenging in the late afternoon, the collection provides an excellent
perspective on the difficult winter climatic conditions Russian forces
have become so adept at operating in. The exercise site is surrounded
by mixed deciduous Silver Birch and conifer forests, a very typical
Northern Russian landscape.

The SA-13 Gopher remains in
service with numerous Russian Army formations to provide point defence
for manoeuvre
formations against low flying aircraft and helicopters. The nearest
Western analogue is the Chapparel series.